Banned Tassie poker players hit Launceston with protest

Bullets Poker League is one of three Tasmanian poker leagues stuck in hiatus after the state gambling regulator cracked down on gaming outside casinos.

Business co-owner John Allmark said his group had asked several times to work on a solution with the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission, but been denied a face-to-face meeting.

He said much of their correspondence to the commission had been met with slow replies, or ignored altogether.

"The emails that we've sent where we've waited a month or two for a response - it's a bit of a joke considering we've got a small business to run," Mr Allmark said.

"We've been out of business for four months now.

"We'd love to have a face-to-face meeting with the gaming commission and just talk about the changes [fellow poker player Adrian Hall] and I have come up with so we can have social poker back in Tasmania."

Opposition finance spokesman Dean Winter said he too had been denied a meeting with the commission.

"The commission is refusing to meet with me - the shadow finance minister. I've never seen a situation where an independent commission refuses to meet with a member of parliament with a clear interest in the matter," Mr Winter said.

The ban on social poker leagues across the state came after a complaint sparked a review into poker operations in Tasmania.

Social poker is permitted in other states, however, Tasmania's Gaming Control Act 1993 stipulates that only licensed casino operators can run games or tournaments that involves wagering or the charging of an entry fee.

A government spokesperson said the review had found "some current practices may not be compliant with the Gaming Control Act".

"The Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission has given poker tournament operators advice about how tournaments can be lawfully conducted, to enable them to continue to operate," the spokesperson said.

Bullets Poker League had been running for about seven years in the North and North-West before the crackdown.

Players bet a fixed amount at the start of a night - typically no more than $60 - and the bigger tournaments usually draw competitors from other states.

Labor MP Janie Finlay said it was disappointing to see a small business and social community being shut down unnecessarily.

"I've heard so many stories over these last few months, particularly from guys, that sometimes this is the only time they get out of the house every week and they socially connect," she said.

"It's a way of enjoying yourself and doing something you love with people who are like-minded for a very moderate but fixed amount.

"About $60 would be the most you could do on one night - people spend that going to the movies."

Mr Allmark said the ban had also led to instances where Tasmanian players had flown to other states to play poker, and deprived many players of a valuable social outing.

He said it was crucial that a legislation change was tabled when parliament returned in March.

"There's people even here today who have social anxiety - they ring me and talk to me now, because they don't get to see me once or twice a week, just to have a chat," he said.

"They're not getting out of their house now because that's where they were comfortable."